From the Kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Dips and spreads were all the rage in the 60's and the 70's. Cookbooks had whole sections devoted to them and during the holiday season you'd be hard pressed to find a magazine that didn't feature them. The dips were not gourmet affairs and nearly all of them had a base of sour cream and mayonnaise. They were calorie laden and as bad for you as they were delicious. As times and tastes changed, the rich and creamy dips seemed to disappear, replaced, instead, with ubiquitous bowls of salsa or more exotic fare from the Mediterranean or Middle East. If, however, you looked really carefully, you'd find at least some of the golden oldies tucked safely in the fridge away from prying eyes. They hadn't gone away, they had been lightened. I'm not at all sure that's a good thing. As I look at the chemical feast that are food is becoming, I sometimes question the approach we are taking to eat in a more healthy way. That, however, is a topic for another day. Now, before I drift too far afield, I want to share this recipe with those of you who still enjoy the classic dips. It come from from America's Test Kitchen and it is awfully nice. Here's the recipe.
Light and Chunky Clam Dip...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Cook's Illustrated
Ingredients:
4 strips bacon (about 4 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup light sour cream
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 (6-1/2-oz. each) cans minced clams, drained
2 medium scallions, sliced thin
Pinch cayenne pepper
Directions:
1) Fry bacon in small skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.
2) Whisk sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce together in a medium bowl. Stir in minced clams, scallions, and bacon. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cover and chill for at least an hour. Refrigerated dip can be kept for up to 2 days. Yield: 2 cups.
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28 comments :
Dips have never gone out of vogue in this house and homemade is at least my way to go!! I've never thought to do a clam dip though - interesting!
I'll bet my hubby would love this! Looks like a cross between his favorite chowder and a nice creamy dip. Mmmm.
I often make dips for when I have the neighbours around for aperitifs. I don't think I have ever seen tinned clams here, but I can easily use fresh ones which are relatively cheap in France. Diane
Buongiorno Mary :)
comè oggi il tempo da te ?
Buona giornata :))
Myriam
thank you for sharing this dip...have a nice day!!!Ciao
This would be so lovely!
I wish I had had this recipe for a party we attended recently when we were asked to bring a dip. I haven't had clam dip in years and love it. We ended up taking onion dip with blue cheese.
Your presentation on the big clam shell is lovely.
Sam
This is one great dip for sure! Thanks for sharing!
I have some shell dishes just like that and do believe they need to be filled with this delicious sounding dip. Another bookmarked.
That looks excellent!
I'm one who is concerned about what goes into a "light" food offering and don't get me started on any margarine on the market!! I'll be interested to hear more of your views on the subject!!
Best,
Bonnie
I don't care if it's bad for you.. I love creamy rich dips!! Clam dip is in my top 5! I love the presentation :)
You are so right, I remember clam dips at parties and it is now all but forgotten in the party repertoire. Time to put it back into rotation with this great recipe!
That photo of your clam dip is very tempting!
I sure do love the classics! I will make this...looks too good!
Thanks Mary!
I will continue to proselytize for chowder clams (available at most fish mongers) as a product incredibly superior to canned clams.
Sounds wonderful! I make my grandmother's warm crab dip recipe and while it's fat laden, all the ingredients are REAL, which is more important to me. Not to mention, the dip is divine ~ there's never a drop left.
I actually don't think I've ever had clam dip! It sounds wonderful though, very flavorful!
Clam dip???I love this!
Mary, this is one excellent dip! I love both the recipe and the photo.
My mother used to make clam dip when I was a child for all of our big family dinners. I haven't had it in years and this recipe brings back such fun memories.
I love dips, especially clam dips. Such a good appetizer and yours looks delicious!
looks very creamy!
Clam dips must have been before my time...I don't remember them! But I am eager to try making this. My husband and I love creamy dips...and we love clams!
I still break out the classics from the 70's and 80's around the holidays. They're tried and true and everyone loves them. It seems that when I try to make something new, they get all weirded out and want their "cheese ball" or their "crockpot meatballs."
This looks fabulous, by the way.
Yum! I don't think I've ever tried clam dip!
Oooh. I've never had clam dip, but I love everything about this recipe. It looks wonderful! I'm definitely bookmarking this one. Thanks, Mary!
Oh my, This looks delicious. Always enjoyed clam chowder but never as a dip. I will be trying this soon!
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